Mechanism for propelling and steadying boats.



J. M. CARLEY.

MECHANISM FOR PROPELLING AND STEADYING BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 2.1915.

. Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

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'UNTTED s'ra'rns PATENT ornron.

JOHANNE M. CARLEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE G. FROST, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

Application filed December 2, 1915. Serial No. 64,769.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHANNE M. CARLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hyde Park, Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have in-" vented new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Propelling and Steadying Boats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to relatively small boats and other like structures such as life rafts, the term boat being intended to designate any craft to which the hereinafter described invention is applicable.

The invention has for its object to provide a boat having means for steadying the hull when in the water and preventing the hull from capsizing, said means being adapted also to propel the craft and being adapted to be stowed out of the way and protected against breakage when the craft is not in use.

The invention also has for its object to provide propelling and steadying means adapted also to steer the boat.

The invention consists 'in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of a boat embodying my invention; Fig. 2 represents a transverse section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 represents a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a single blade; Fig. 5 represents a fragmentary perspective view showing means for securing the blades in their stowed position; Fig. 6 represents a perspective view of a boat having blades arranged in tandem order; Fig. 7 represents a fragmentary perspective view showing two pairs of blades arranged in tandem order.

The same reference characters indicate the same or similar parts in all the views.

In the drawings, 12 represents a hull having a longitudinal well 13 extending through the bottom of the hull and above the water line, said well having the usual characteristics of an ordinary center board well.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown by Figs. 1, 2 and 3, two flat sided blades 14: are connected side by side by a pivot 15 with the sides of the well 13, said blades being formed to be stowed horizontally within the well, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and to be moved to upright positions, as shown by full lines, their lower end portions projecting below the well and forming a two-part steadying fin adapted to engage the water and resist a rocking or capsizing movement of the hull, the said fin constituting an equivalent of an ordinary center board.

Each blade is provided with an extension 14 projecting from the opposite side of the pivot 15 from the fin portion and constituting an operating lever whereby the blade may be oscillated, the arrangement being such that the blade moves edgewise fore and aft when it is oscillated. The fin portion of each blade is provided with a flap 17 connected by hinges 18 with the blade and adapted to lie against the blade, as shown by Fig 1 and by full lines, Fig. 8, when the blade is moving in the direction of the arrow. The swinging edge of the flap is connected by a flexible tether 19 with one edge of the blade, and is adapted to be swung outwardly to the position shown by dotted lines, Fig. 3, by pressure of the water against it when the blade is moved in the opposite direction from that indicated by the arrow. The operating lever or extension 14? is provided with suitable means whereby it may be oscillated by the occupants of the boat. As here shown, each operating lever is provided with a handle 21 extending crosswise of the well. If desired, ropes 20 may be secured to the handles so that several occupants of the boat may cooperate in propelling the same.

It will now be seen that when the blades are oscillated, the flaps 17 will be alternately closed and opened, and when opened will ierve as paddles or buckets to propel the oat.

Each flap 17 when closed against .the corresponding blade is adapted to be swung upwardly therewith into the well, the extensions 145 being at the same time swung downwardly into the well so that both blades are stowed out of the way and free from liability of breakage.

The two blades when operated in unison cooperate in propelling the boat. The blades V as indicatedby Fig. 7, the

are also adapted to cooperate insteering the boat, one blade being held stationary,

while the other is oscillated so that only onefiap 17 is operative, said flap being atone side of the keel or longitudinal Center of the boat.

When the steering of the boat; by the propelling mechanism is not desired, a single blade 140 may be employed, asshown by Fig. 6, and said blade may have two flaps 170, one at each side.

\Vhen the blades are stowed as shown by dotted lines, they may be confined by means such as a loop or bail 25 hinged to one end of the well 13, and adapted to swing over the extensions 14*, as shown by Fig. 5, and by dotted lines inFig. 1.

'There'may be two single steadying and propelling blades ltO arranged in tandem order as; shown by Fig. 6. These blades may be connected by a longitudinal bar 26 having a pluralityof handles 27. The tandem-b'lad-esmay be connected to two similarly arranged well sections 13* constituting the equivalent of a single elongated well. There may also be two pairs of blades 14,

1 pairs being arrangedin tandem order. In this case'two independent connecting bars 26* may be employed, each connecting a member of one pair with the corresponding member ofthe other pair, and each bar having independent handles 27 so that the blades may be operated to steer the boat.

'Having described my invention, I claim:

' 1. A'boat comprising a hull having a longitudinal toithesides of the well, and

well, an elongated blade pivoted adapted to be stowed horizontally in the well, and to be moved to an-upright position-to cause itsouter portion to-projectbelow thewell and form astea'clying' fin, saidbladef being provided withineaiis whereby it may be oscillated, and

propelling means carried bythe fin portion of the blade and movable with said portion intothe well, said propelling means being operative during a movement of the blade bottom,

inone direction and inoperative during a movement in the opposite direction.

QEA'boat comprising a hull having a longitudinal center well extending through its an elongated blade pivoted to the sides of said well and adapted to be stowed against horizontally in the well when the craft is not inusefand tobe moved to an upright position to cause its outer portion to project and form a steadying fin or center board, said blade being provided with an "operating lever adapted to project above the well, and with a fiap hinged to the fin portion,, and adapted to alternately lie said portion and project outwardly therefrom when the blade is oscillated, the

flap being movable with. the fin portion into the well. i

3. A boat comprising a hull having a longitudinal well, a pair of elongatedblades pivoted side by side to the sides of the well and adapted to be stowed horizontally therein and to be moved to upright positions to cause their outer portions to project below the well and form a two part steadying fin, each blade being provided with means whereby itmay be oscillated either independently or in unison with the other, and propelling means carried by the fin portions of the blades, movable therewith into the well and operative during movements of the blades in one direction only, said blades being'adapted to cooperate as described in steering the boat.

d. A boat comprising a hullhaving alongitudinal well, two elongated blades pivoted to the sides of the well and arranged in tandem order, each blade being adapted to. bestowed horizontally in the well and to be movedto upright'positions to cause their outer portionsitoproject below the well and act as steadying fins, saidblades being provided with means whereby they maybe oscillated, and propelling means carried by the fin portions of said blades and movable with said portions into the well, said propellingemea be onera i ur a movement ofrthe,bladesj in one direction only.

5, A boat comprising a hull having a longitudinal well, two elongated blades pivoted to the sides of the well and arranged in tandem order, each blade being adapted to be stowed horizontally in ,the well and to be moved to upright positions to cause'their ut p ti l d prei i t b l w t We l. an act ass teadying fins, an operating bar connectingtheupper ends of the blades, and Piop l g mea s Q rri' d y P rti n of said blades and movable with saidportions into the well, said propelling means being operative during a movement of the blades in one direction only.

6. A boat comprising a hull having a longitudinal well, two pairs of elongated blades arranged intandem order, the members of each pair, being pivoted side by side to the sides of the well and adapted to be stowed horizontally therein andito be moved to upright positions to cause their outer portions to projectbelow the well and form a twopart steadying fin, each member being provided with means whereby it may be oscillated eitherindependently or in unison with the othermember, and propelling means care v hev finlp tio of ai ember movable therewith into the well, and operative during movements of the members in one jdirection only.

7- A bo tq mprising ul ha i g a 1. gitudinal well, two pairs of elongated blades arrangedintandem order, the me'mbers of each pair being pivoted side by side to the sides of the Well and adapted to be stowed horizontally therein and to be moved to upright positions to cause their outer portions to project below the Well and form a two-part steadying fin, independent operating bars connecting the upper ends of the members of said pairs, and propelling means carried by the fin portions of said members, movable therewith into the Well, and operative during movements of the members in 10 signature.

JOHANNE M. CARLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

